The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has told Muslims in Nigeria to celebrate the Eid-el-Fitri on Sunday.
In a statement, signed on his behalf by the Chairman, Advisory Committee of the Sultanate’s Council on Religious Affairs, Prof. Sambo Junaid, the Sultan said that the festival, which marks the end of the fasting period by Muslims, should be celebrated as the 30 days fast is now over.
He said that since the moon of Shawwal was not sighted anywhere in Nigeria on Friday, it meant that the moon had done its full circle and as such fasting should be over.
The statement added: “So Sunday, August 19, 2012, is the first day of Shawwal 1433 AH and automatically the Sallah day.”